This easy meal ditches the fried wrapper and serves up classic egg roll filling. Egg Roll in a Bowl is perfect for busy weeknights and easy dinners. Loaded with fresh vegetables and great Asian flavors.
What's your favorite part of an egg roll? If you said the filling, this recipe is for you!
We've tossed out the outer egg roll wrappers and deep frying for a hearty serving of the delicious inside.
This deconstructed egg roll is loaded with lean meat, vegetables, big flavor and a little crunch. Lots of ways to change it up too!
This delicious recipe is an easy recipe the whole family will love. Naturally gluten-free too.
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Fast and Fresh Egg Roll Bowl
One bite of this egg roll in a bowl and you'll never miss the outer shell. This great recipe is brimming with healthy ingredients and the best flavor of egg rolls.
Egg Roll in a Bowl is a perfect way to get all the delicious flavors of a traditional egg roll in a fast and leaner form.
The recipe makes a large batch (8 cups) making it great for meal prep before a busy week.
What makes this skinny?
- No egg roll wrappers
- No deep frying
- Using lean ground beef.
- Loads of vegetables.
One traditional egg roll has around 225 calories. This version has 264 for a 2 cup serving and 4 points for all WW SmartPoints plans.
Recipe Ingredients + Notes
This recipe uses simple ingredients to dish up classic flavors of an egg roll.
Oil. A small amount of oil is used in cooking. Because the cooking is over high heat a high smoke point oil is recommended like safflower, sunflower, avocado oil or canola oil. Sesame oil can also be substituted for sesame flavor.
Ground Beef. We used 96% lean (4% fat) ground beef. It offers great flavor and low fat. Other ground meats can be substituted (check the Variations below).
Scallions. Also called green onions or spring onions, two are sliced and used in the recipe. Both the green and white parts of green onions should be used.
Garlic. Diced fresh garlic cloves
Shredded cabbage. Green cabbage can be shredded in a food processor, by hand or store bought shredded cabbage can be used. Five cups or 1 14-16 ounce package will work.
Carrots. Two cups of shredded carrots are used. We do not recommend using already shredded carrots from the store. Their flavor and texture is not the same as freshly grated carrots.
Mung bean sprouts. These add a great crunch. Use fresh mung bean sprouts not canned.
Ginger. Fresh ginger is diced or grated for the sauce.
Soy Sauce. Regular or gluten-free soy sauce or Tamari can be used.
Sriracha sauce. Just the right amount of this spicy sauce is added to perk up the flavors. The hot sauce does not make the dish spicy.
Optional garnish. Additional sliced scallions, white sesame seeds and/or black sesame seeds.
Variations
Change the meat. Any ground meat you love and that fits your dietary needs can be used. Ground pork, ground turkey, ground chicken, higher fat percentage ground beef or a mixture of them will work. Each offers a slightly different flavor and fat content.
Want some more crunch? The way this egg roll in a bowl is cooked leaves the vegetables crisp but if you really love a strong crunch add some chopped or sliced water chestnuts.
Want to save some shredding time? Use a bag of coleslaw mix (or two depending on the size of the bag). This has shredded cabbage and carrots included. If substituting use 7 cups of the mix. You could try broccoli slaw too although the shredded vegetables tend to be more coarse.
Add extra veggies. If you have other favorite vegetables, like red bell pepper, add them! Cut into small pieces so they will blend well and cook in the same amount of time.
How to Make it - Step-by-Step
STEP 1. Make the sauce
Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.
STEP 2. Make the Egg Roll filling
Heat the oil in large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the ground beef.
Cook, breaking apart as it cooks, until no pink color remains (photo 1). Drain any excess liquid and discard.
Add the scallions and garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes until onions start to soften (photo 2).
Add the shredded cabbage, carrots and mung bean sprouts; stir to combine (photo 3-4).
Add the sauce to the skillet and stir to combine all ingredients (photo 5).
Lower heat to medium and cook until vegetables have desired softness (5-6 minutes)(photo 6).
Season with salt and pepper if desired. Garnish and serve hot!
How to store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
More recipes you'll love!
- Zucchini Soup
- Red Cabbage Slaw recipe with apples
- The Best Skinny Margarita Recipe
- Mediterranean Shrimp recipe
Recipe
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Ingredients
Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce regular or gluten-free
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
Egg Roll
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound 96% lean ground beef
- 2 scallions sliced
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 5 cups shredded green cabbage or 1 14-16 ounce package shredded cabbage
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts lightly packed
- salt and pepper
Garnish ideas (optional)
- sliced scallions
- white and/or black sesame seeds
- sweet chili sauce
Instructions
- Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Heat the oil in large skillet or wok over high heat. When the surface of the oil is rippling, add the ground beef. Cook, breaking apart as it cooks, until no pink color remains. Drain any excess liquid and discard.
- Add the scallions and garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes until onions start to soften.
- Add the shredded cabbage, carrots and mung bean sprouts; stir to combine.
- Add the sauce to the skillet and stir to combine all ingredients.
- Lower heat to medium and cook until vegetables have desired softness (5-6 minutes).
- Season with salt and pepper if desired. Garnish and serve hot!
Sandra says
This is a really flavorful meal! I love it!
Gabriella says
LOVE this recipe. I don’t miss the greasy egg roll wrapper. This is so filling and good!
Amanda Livesay says
This is our favorite healthy dinner! It's so easy and delicious!
Erin says
I love easy meals like this Egg Roll in a Bowl for busy weeknights!
Beth says
Oh wow. That is such a great idea! I love all those flavors. It's a wonderful dish for a family meal or for a party.
Renee says
This was great. Every easy to make, filling and great flavor.
Charlene says
We've been making this once a week since finding your recipe. An absolute favorite!
Andrea Thueson says
I was missing egg rolls, so I was excited when I saw this skinnier version. Bless You! It tasted incredible and was super filling!
Jackie says
this has become one of my go to recipes, I love it so much!
Audrey says
This was wonderful- it had so many great veggies!
wilhelmina says
This is the perfect low carb meal when I am craving takeout. It is so satisfying and easy to make and I don't feel like I am missing out on a thing. Fabulous!
Kayla DiMaggio says
This egg roll in a bowl was the easiest and most delicious weeknight dinner! The whole family loved it!
Mike Zielonka says
Pure Genius remake of the classic egg roll! 😋
Linda says
Absolutely delicious. Loved the texture, the flavors and the servings size was ample. Can't wait for more recipes!
Melinda says
This is a recipe my family will LOVE. I have most of the ingredients on hand too. Just need to buy fresh ginger and bean sprouts. Thank you for sharing!!
Sherry Ronning says
We have tons of fall cabbage coming out of the garden. I have been looking for a low calorie dinner recipe and yours is perfect. The flavors in this recipe is exactly what my family wants and loves. I will be adding this recipe to my family cookbook!!
Erin Gierhart says
This is so easy and nutritious! I love the sriracha flavor with these ingredients. It's perfect for lunch!
Elizabeth says
What a fantastic recipe! I never thought of making my own egg roll filling and serving it without the wrappers before, but this is genius! Proper comfort food!
Stephanie says
I have never been good at getting homemade egg rolls to roll properly. This was so much easier and still had all of the same flavors!
Gina says
This is my go to recipe when I find myself needing to use up some cabbage. So easy, so tasty and everyone loves it!
Gretchen says
Yes! Finally the best part of the egg roll and plenty of it! I loved how fast and easy it was to make.
Jenn says
I love this recipe! It's so fast and flavorful that it's now one of our weeknight favorites!
Gloria says
This looks like a fun and delicious meal for any night of the week. Certainly easier than making egg rolls. I know my family will love it.